1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to cutting technology, and particularly, to a system and a method for controlling a cutter and a conveyer to cut a substrate into a number of workpieces.
2. Description of Related Art
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are manufactured using Copper Clad Laminates (CCLs). During the manufacturing of the PCBs, the first step is to cut a CCL into a number of workpieces, with each CCL having a size corresponding to a specific size of a PCB.
Generally, the CCL is cut by a cutting apparatus, which is operated by a user. The cutting apparatus includes a cutter and a feeder. When the feeder pushes the CCL a predetermined distance to a predefined cutting position, the user operates the cutter to cut the CCL. However, the user cannot know exactly when the CCL is located in the predefined cutting position. If the user operates the cutter to cut the CCL before the CCL it is located at the predefined cutting position, then the CCL is cut wrong and the cut workpiece does not qualify to be a PCB. If the user operates the cutter slowly, after the CCL has been located in the predefined cutting position, time is wasted and the efficiency of manufacturing the PCBs is affected. In addition, the CCL is generally rectangular, and needs to be cut first along the length and second along the width. Sometimes the user gets confused about number of cuts along one side or the other, therefore the substrate can easily be cut wrong.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and a method for cutting a substrate into a number of individual workpieces, that overcomes the aforementioned problem.